Uniontown boys soccer team leaves field early

October 9, 2013by Bill Hartlep

Uniontown boys soccer coach Eric Dolfi pulled his team off the field with about five minutes left in Tuesday night’s 11-1 loss at Waynesburg. But unlike Brashear’s forfeit at Canon-McMillan on Sept. 24, a game that’s under review by the WPIAL Executive Committee, those involved Tuesday appear eager to move on and are content to chalk it up to a chippy game where tempers may have boiled over.
“Uniontown respects Waynesburg,” Dolfi said. “They won a hard-fought game, and we want this to drop and move on with no retaliation.”
Dolfi said he did not plan on filing any grievances with the WPIAL. Same for Waynesburg athletic director Russ Moore.
WPIAL executive director Tim O’Malley said no reports had been filed with his office regarding the game.
Dolfi said after taking his team off the field that he saw the clock run down to zero, meaning the officials essentially let the game finish 11-on-none.
“The officials thought the game should’ve continued,” Moore said. “But (Uniontown) just went and left. Nobody seemed to … the officials didn’t seem to get upset. I guess when the other team leaves there’s nothing else you can do.”
Dolfi said one of his players suffered a bruised esophagus and another a dislocated hip.
“My player was spitting up blood on the sidelines,” Dolfi said. “This wasn’t an ‘I’m going to take my kids off, take my ball and go home.’ I didn’t want my kids to get hurt.”
Moore said the game was physical, but both teams took turns taking part in the physical play.
“All night long there had been altercations on both sides, chirping and what my coach called ‘sliding with the studs up,’ ” Moore said. “I just think it was just frustration in the score, among other things maybe.”
Earlier this season, Brashear coach Abby Phillips pulled her team off the field 14 minutes, 27 seconds into the first half while facing a 4-0 deficit over complaints with the officials. Phillips later accused Canon-McMillan’s players of making derogatory comments toward members of her team.
The Big Macs have repeatedly denied such claims, and the entire ordeal will be reviewed Oct. 15, with a determination likely Oct. 21.
— Jason Mackey